title: UK role 4 military infection services: past, present and future.
abstract: NATO describes 'Role 4' military medical services as those provided for the definitive care of patients who cannot be treated within a theatre of operations and these are usually located in a military force's country of origin and may include the involvement of civilian medical services. The UK Defence Medical Services have a proud history of developing and providing clinical services in infectious diseases and tropical medicine, sexual health and HIV medicine, and medical microbiology and virology. These UK Role 4 Military Infection Services have adapted well to recent overseas deployments, but new challenges will arise due to current military cutbacks and a greater diversity of contingency operations in the future. Further evidence-based development of these services will require leadership by military clinicians and improved communication and support for 'reach-back' services.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sexual Health, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Ngozi E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Dufty
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends*; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000266:history / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000266:history / Q000517:prevention & control; D014330:Tropical Medicine / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends*; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: GENITOURINARY MEDICINE; INFECTIOUS DISEASES; MICROBIOLOGY; TROPICAL MEDICINE; VIROLOGY